Large paint roller sleeve storage container

ABSTRACT

A storage container for a large sized paint roller sleeve such as but not limited to an 18 inch paint roller that includes a cylinder formed of two joining portions that includes for each portion a set of flutes on at least two opposing sides of an interior surface for stabilizing a roller cover in place from rattling inside of the housing and for holding said roller cover in place when extracting a roller handle from said roller cover.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation in part of nonprovisional application Ser. No. 12/456,454 filed Jun. 17, 2009, under 35 U.S.C. 120. This is also a nonprovisional application of provisional application Ser. No. 61/284,790 filed Dec. 24, 2009 by Mowe, et al. for which priority is claimed under 35 U.S.C. 119(e).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

During a standard workday a painter may use one or more paint roller sleeves. Further, in many jobs more than one coat of paint is required. Moreover, if the job is not finished prior to a lunch break or at the end of the workday, the sleeve must be cleaned or discarded. There is a need for a device in which a freshly used, yet to be cleaned, paint roller sleeve can be stored overnight, ready for reuse the next day.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of this invention is to provide a container for a just used paint roller sleeve in which it can be stored and kept in such a condition that it can be used again immediately, for the same color paint, without first being cleaned. The container is formed of two portions that connect together so as to form a lager sized container for housing herein a large sized paint roller where the point of connection for the two portions is the middle portion of the thus formed larger sized container. The portions can be connected to each other either by having one portion flare out and be slightly wider at the point of joining and have a cut portion and the second portion fitting within the flared out end of the larger portion with a latch or pin that engages the cut out section to removably lock and engage the flared out portion and hold the two portions together in place as one large sized container when the large sized paint roller is inserted therein. Alternate ways to removably fastening the two portions together are possible such as having one end with external threading and the other with internal threading so that the two portions can be threadably connected to each other. The use of other fastening mechanisms known in the art can also be employed and the present disclosure is not limited to any one mechanism or technique. An additional object of this invention is to provide a means for removing a wet paint sleeve from the roller without the painter's hand, whether gloved or otherwise, coming into direct contact with the sleeve. In particular, it is desirable to be able to store a large paint size roller such as but not limited to an 18 inch paint roller in a suitably sized container.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an improved storage container which comprises two generally cylindrical tubular structures each having a thin wall made of a flexible, resilient plastic and at least one pleated wall section joined thereto. The two structures are formed to join together when a paint roller is housed inside of each of these containers. The two containers together are removably connected to each other to form a single container housing a large sized paint roller such as but not limited to an 18 inch paint roller.

Formed of a hinged-type plastic, the pleated wall section can be pressed inwardly by hand. When the pleated wall section is so pressed, teeth-like projections on its inside surface are brought into contact with any paint roller sleeve housed temporarily within the storage container and can be used to grip the sleeve firmly.

Means for keeping the paint roller sleeve from resting on the bottom surface of the container preferably includes a standoff. The height of the standoff determines the depth of the reservoir defined by the container for receiving excess paint, which drains from the sleeve during storage.

The joining portion of each component terminates upwardly in an opening for receiving the sleeve and preferably tapers outwardly forming a funnel to facilitate insertion of the sleeve into the container and to capture any paint dripping from the sleeve which might otherwise drip outside the container during the insertion process.

Longitudinal ribs, preferably but not limited to four, extend inwardly from the inner walls of the tubular structure help to center the sleeve within the container and keep the sleeve, regardless of thickness of its nap from rattling around in the container. The ribs are rounded off at proximate with the opening in each component near the end where joining of the two components is so as to help guide the sleeve into the container. The ribs span the length of each portion.

In a typical use, the just used sleeve while still on the roller is inserted into each of the openings (joining ends) of the portions of the storage container. Next the user grasps the sides of the container and presses the pleated wall section inwardly, in such a way to hold it while the roller is being slipped out of the sleeve. The container is then closed by locking the two portions together by way of the previously described mechanisms such as threadably connecting the portions together, or with a latch on one of the portions engaging the cut out section of the other portion thus forming an airtight closure which keeps the paint from drying on the sleeve, even after a long storage. To reuse the sleeve, the two portions are removed from each other. The user is ready to proceed with the paint work.

The bottom of each portion is closed and has a reservoir to permit excess paint to collect. The reservoir can either be an extended ring forming a circle into which paint from the roller can collect or have a number of raised ribs such as but not limited to four ribs forming an X shaped pattern at the interior bottom of each closed portion of the container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a paint roller sleeve storage container according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure, the storage container being shown formed of two portions configured to contain a large sized paint roller sleeve, such as but not limited to an 18 inch paint roller sleeve, within;

FIG. 2 illustrates a fastening mechanism for the strap to the container according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates the flutes preferably four and an embodiment of a reservoir for one of the portions of the container in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a close up view of the reservoir shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows how the flutes taper off at opening end—the joining end of the components of the container in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of one of the two components illustrating how the flutes of each portion span the interior length of each portion wall and taper out and how the open joining ends of the portions flare out to permit the paint roller to easily be inserted therein;

FIG. 7 shows an alternate embodiment of an X shaped reservoir for each closed end of each portion of the container in accordance with the present disclosure; and

FIG. 8 is paint roller sleeve storage container according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the storage container being shown formed of one part with the container opening along a longitudinal surface of the container and pivoting about a longitudinal hinged surface side of the container to permit opening and closing of the container to place or remove a large sized paint roller therein.

PREFERRED DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the drawings, in FIG. 1 a storage container for a paint roller sleeve 10 includes two portions 10 a and 10 b that are joined together at the middle 10 c of the entire container 10. The container 10 is designed to house large sized paint rollers 50 (see FIG. 16 in dashed lines) therein such as but not limited to 18 inch paint rollers 50.

The container 10 is formed of two portions 10 a and 10 b that connect together so as to form a larger sized container 10 for housing herein a large sized paint roller 50 where the point of connection for the two portions is the middle portion 10 c of the thus formed larger sized container 10. The portions 10 a and 10 b can be connected to each other either by having both portions flare out and one portion be slightly wider at the point of joining and have a cut out portion and the second portion fitting within the flared out end of the larger portion with a latch or pin 12 that engages the cut out section to removably lock and engage the flared out portion and hold the two portions together in place as one large sized container 10 when the large sized paint roller 50 is inserted therein. Alternate ways to attach/detach the two portions together/apart are possible such as having one end with external threading and the other with internal threading so that the two portions can be threadably connected to each other. The use of other fastening mechanisms known in the art can also be employed and the present disclosure is not limited to any one mechanism or technique. An additional object of this invention is to provide means for removing a wet paint sleeve from the roller without the painter's hand, whether gloved or otherwise, coming into direct contact with the sleeve. In particular it is desirable to be able to store a large paint size roller 50 such as but not limited to an 18 inch paint roller 50 in a suitably sized container 10.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an improved storage container which comprises two generally cylindrical tubular structures 10 a and 10 b each having a thin wall made of a flexible, resilient plastic and at least one pleated wall section 13 joined thereto. The two portions 10 a and 10 b are formed to join together when a paint roller 50 is housed inside of each of these portions 10 a and 10 b. The two portions 10 a and 10 b together are detachably connected to each other to form a single container housing 10 a large sized paint roller 10 such as but not limited to an 18 inch paint roller 10. In other words the two portions 10 a and 10 b can be connected to each other to form one container 10 or detach from one another to disassemble the container 10 into its two constituent portions 10 a and 10 b.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a strap 15 can be attached to the container. The strap 15 can be fastened with slits 16 and button 17 or by any other known mechanism e.g. hooks and loop fasteners, etc. or the strap 15 can be integrally attached to near ends of the container 10 so that each portion has an end of the strap 15 attached to it.

FIG. 3 shows how the flutes 20 on the interiors walls of each component stabilize the roller contained therein. In addition one embodiment of a reservoir 25 for paint is shown. The flutes 20 are longitudinal ribs preferably but not limited to four, that extend inwardly from the inner walls of the tubular structure 10 to help to center the sleeve 50 within the container 10 and keep the sleeve 50, regardless of thickness of its nap, from rattling around in the container 10. The ribs 20 are rounded off at proximate with the opening in each component near the end where joining of the two components is so as to help guide the sleeve into the container. The ribs 20 span the length of each portion (10 a, 10 b) of the container 10. As shown In FIG. 5, the flutes 20 taper off at the open, joining ends e.g. the ends of each portion that joins with the other portion when the paint roller 50 is inserted within each and then closed together. The flutes 20 taper off and the open ends of each portion flare out to permit the paint roller 50 to more easily be guided into each of the portions of the container 10.

The flutes 20 span the length of the interior wall of each portion to the container 10 as shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 7 shows an alternate reservoir 25 with an X shape for the bottom of each portion of the container, but it is understood that the present disclosure is not limited to any particular reservoir shape or structure.

FIG. 8 is another embodiment of the present disclosure showing an alternative paint storage container 10 for storing a large sized paint roller 50 where the container 10 resembles a clam shell. The container 10 opens along a longitudinal side and pivots about a hinge 54. The container 10 when open permits insertion of a large sized paint roller 50 such as but not limited to an 18″ paint roller that extends along an opposite longitudinal side as shown in FIG. 8. Latches 51 a, 51 b (preferably two) on each side of the container 10 lock the container 10 in the closed position. The latches 51 a, 51 b can be any known latch mechanism preferably a two part complimentary components 51 a, 51 b that engage each other from opposing sides of the container about the longitudinal opening to lock the container closed. The openings 54 which permit the removal of the roller frame from the paint roller 50 can be plugged when the container 10 is closed by plugs 52 inserted into the openings 53 on both the surface ends of the container 10. Thus this container 10 allows for storage of the paint roller 50 on and off the frame. In addition flutes 20, preferably but not limited to three flutes 20 can be added to the interior on each side of the container 10 similar to that describes in the embodiments of FIGS. 1-7 of this application and that description is incorporated by reference thereto herein.

While the above describes the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is possible that other embodiments thereof may be made by those skilled in the art that fall within the scope of the following claims: 

1. A storage container for large sized paint roller sleeve, comprising: (a) a flexible, resilient tubular housing for removably storing the sleeve there within; (b) the tubular housing being formed of two portions, each portion including a centrally disposed chamber and a sealed end which defines a reservoir for holding excess paint, distal from the sealed end, the housing terminating in an enlarged funnel-like opening for facilitating insertion of the sleeve into the chamber; and (c) a set of flutes on at least two opposing sides of an interior surface of said cylinder for stabilizing a roller cover in place from rattling inside of said housing and for holding said roller cover in place when extracting a roller frame from said roller cover; (d) a mechanism for joining the two portions together when said paint roller is housed therein.
 2. A storage container for large sized paint roller sleeve, comprising: (a) a flexible, resilient tubular housing for removably storing the sleeve there within; and (b) the tubular housing long enough to accommodate housing a large sized paint roller therein, said housing having a longitudinal opening along one side and a hinged surface on an opposing longitudinal side so that said housing can open and close at its opening side by pivoting about its hinged side thereby permitting a paint roller to be placed therein or removed therefrom.
 3. The storage container according to claim 2 wherein said container has openings on each end surface of the container to permit a roller frame to extend there through or to be removed from a roller housed in said container.
 4. The storage container according to claim 34 further comprising plugs for sealing aid openings when said frame is removed form said roller housed in said container.
 5. The storage container according to claim 1 wherein said container includes latches on both sides of said longitudinal opening of said container to seal said container in a closed position to prevent the container from opening. 